Marshaling Majesty
by Jester4554
Summary: Cont. from Playing with Chaos: The rogue Harlequin Jester and his crew have just laid waste to a raiding group of Orks for the humans of the desert world, just in time for the arrival of a platoon of the space marine chapter, The Emperor's Wrath. Led by Chaplain Jorval Corvis, the marines take command of the situation from Captain Troy Malverick, as they deal with the Ork threat.
1. Chapter 1

**Marshaling Majesty - 1**

Just like the rest of his men gathered around him, Captain Troy Malverick stood waiting beyond the city walls. Taking after his first name, Troy sported a grizzled mustache that went with his black stubble and normally short and tousled hair, though he made sure to slick it back for the arrival of the Imperial forces. Dressed similar to those he stood with, Malverick wore tan cargo pants that seemed to come up from out of their brown boots, with a matching shirt that had long sleeves; though, like many of the men around him, he made sure to have them rolled up. He wore a vest over the shirt, from which several spare clips of ammunition were attached, badges to mark his status as the planet's militia leader, and even a grenade. Holstered at his waist was a single black gun with several more clips of ammo and a walkie-talkie, while he kept a medium-range rifle strapped to his back. Standard armor and gear for those working to defend their planet from threats to their people, both internal and external.

The captain stood at the group's head, each man looking up expectantly, hoping that they would be the first one to spot their inbound visitors. Troy couldn't just see, but he could feel the sense of both awe and excitement coming from those gathered to greet their guests. Even some people from the city who had free time on their hands came to stand at the raised gate. However, though he found their enthusiasm to be a bit too much, neither could the captain of the militia find fault with their unbound energy. After all, it was very rarely that the empire sent out space marines to check on their planet. Even by the Troy's reckoning, the last time he'd seen one of the space marines was nearly ten years ago, when a small group of had come to take a census of their population, and only ten years before that had been his first time seeing one, when their planet was first entered into the Empire's system; in exchange for minerals that could be harvested from the planet they would be protected under the Empire, but no mining crews ever came and the desert planet went on forgotten.

Even to a newly indoctrinated planet such as theirs, the chapters of the space marines were legendary. Servants to the Emperor of Mankind, the prowess these soldiers wielded seemed ultimate, and it was all for the defense of man. Throughout the entire empire a thousand of these chapters existed, dedicated either to the protection of the Emperor or the eradication of mankind's enemies, and there were many sects that were busy fighting every day to hold back the forces that would see mankind wiped out or subjugated. So, in truth, when the captain first requested assistance against the Orks, he was surprised that a force had actually come at all, and figured that it would be up to his own people to get out of their rut.

He remembered that time grimly, when he was first forced to send out a call for aid. It was nearly a year ago when the first of the Ork attacks occurred, a skirmish on one of the trade routes that had left everybody dead. At first Malverick and his militia believed it to be the work of heavily armed bandits and so they went in search of the band of raiders responsible, but after scouring the hills they came to realize that the truth was much worse. Instead of finding renegades, the militia stumbled upon a fighting force of Orks in the hills, and it had been a terrible battle. The militia had come out on top then, but after that only more skirmishes took place, and they found themselves caught in a constant state of fighting against the greenskinned brutes. Not used to such fighting, that was when Captain Malverick sent out the distress call, never to hear back from Imperial forces.

With weekly fighting occurring in the desert wastes and no word from the Imperium, Malverick saw only one thing to do, and he marshaled his people as best he could. Though it was their first time fighting against Orks, all knew of their ferocious appetite for destruction, as well as their hatred for mankind, and all knew this was a foe that'd draw no quarter. Despite a lack of military experience, the captain of the militia organized his people well, and the Orks found their human targets to no longer be easy pickings. At this time, the planetary militia took to referring to Troy Malverick as Marshall, instead of captain, something he consistently tried to halt the use of. Yet, even with their settlements made safer, the greenskins still held authority over much of the wastes, and occasionally they would succeed in razing some town.

Then the attacks started to lessen, and people began to report spotting other strangers roaming the wastes, a taller group of people garbed in various pieces of clothing and armor, and bore masks each time they were spotted. However, while they appeared to steer clear of their settlements, people were still uneasy about their presence, and Malverick promised to investigate things. Then, one night, while drawing preparations to check the suspected range of hills, he found himself faced with the unexpected surprise of meeting the leader of these strangers hiding in the wastes.

Of course it turned out to be none other than one of the Eldar, another species just as well-known throughout the galaxy as either the Imperium or the Orks. At first Troy hadn't known how to react to the being before him, which referred to himself as _Jester_, for there were some throughout the empire who claimed the Eldar to be worse than even the heretical forces of Chaos. Yet, here the man was claiming to be the one responsible for helping to alleviate much of the pressure that the Orks had been putting on his people, and all he asked for in exchange was their presence to go ignored.

Thinking that the empire had forgotten about his planet, Troy Malverick saw little reason to turn down this Eldar's offer to hunt down the Orks for his silence. Since then, Jester would periodically arrive in his quarters unannounced to keep the marshal informed where the Harlequins were positioned, that way he could be sure to make sure his own patrols didn't go anywhere near. Yet, despite this going on for months, nobody ever said a word to him, and Malverick often wondered why nobody else ever seemed to know of the masked Eldar. He had asked Jester a few times before, but the infernal man always just laughed or said it was magic; in the end he gave up on finding out, and chalked it up to the Eldar using telepathy, which was an unnerving enough thought on its own for the marshal.

No matter the case, despite what others would have done if in his position, Troy Malverick had no issue accepting an offer of aid from the alien people. Furthermore, as nobody seemed to know about it, he felt at ease harboring the truth that there were Eldar hiding upon the planet. Besides, the space marines would be here to deal with the presence of Orks, not Eldar, so there would be little reason for him to mention anything at all.

Then, after a quarter hour passed by, the marshal's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the first ship to bear the space marines. Just on time, Malverick thought to himself.

He'd been sitting in his quarters awaiting word from the chapter of marines on when they'd be landing nearly all morning. As morning turned to afternoon, the captain was contacted and told that he could expect their arrival outside the city in fifteen minutes; and whoever he spoke to even gave the exact coordinates that the ships would be landing. Naturally, as the highest authority on their planet, it was expected of him to greet the newcomers. Knowing that the Imperial forces would be arriving on that day, there were many in the city that waited eagerly to find out when the fateful hour would be, and word spread quickly as Malverick made preparations to meet with the leader of the space marines until he had all but the entire city defense positioned to at least see their initial landing.

The first of the ships to come down was a lengthy vessel, with a short cockpit and a long back end where the troops where Malverick suspected the troops to be held. Sure enough, as the transport ship slowed for landing, it maneuvered so that the longer side faced toward the crowd. While it descended closer to the ground the jets on its underside caused a storm of sand to shoot out, and the militia was forced to step back several feet. In the meantime there were three legs that extended out from the bottom of the ship as it was suspended in the air before it finally landed safely. Already there were three more ships dropping out from the blue skies, black dots that swiftly grew larger as they approached: two of the vessels were similar to the first of the transport ships, while the third was much larger, and Troy Malverick could only guess at what might be contained within its metal belly.

When the last of the ships finally touched down the back end of the transport vessel standing before the militia opened and a metal platform extended out to the ground. Then a hulking figure walked to where the ship opened up from, appearing as nothing more than a shadow against the light of the ships interior, and he stood there staring at the large reception group gathered just for their arrival.

(-****-)

Troy Malverick, Marshal of the People, broke away from the hushed crowd of guardsmen and walked toward the foot of the platform, stopping only when he stood but a few feet away from where it touched down. The figure standing at the other end of the ramp continued to look down on them until two others came up to stand behind each of his shoulders, and more filed up behind them as well. The marshal noticed that the other ships were now opening as well, and guessed that a similar procession was being prepared in each. Then, once the line stretched beyond Troy's view from where he stood on the ground, the hulking figure at the forefront of the platform started to walk down.

Getting past his middle years, there was very little that surprised Marshal Malverick, but when he saw the marine that walked down from the platform he gaped. Completely covered from head to toe in a black suit of ancient power armor unique to the space marine chapters, the man – and he had to be a man due to his great girth – easily towered over the six foot marshal. He wore a magnificent tabard of thick, red and black cloth that covered his entire torso, tucked into the girdle of a great iron cross, and which trailed down in front of his legs just past the knees. A metal cross rose up from behind his head, and the skulls of fel monsters and sinful men adorned his armor at the joints, while in other places spiked studs protruded from his wrists and elbows. At first such morbid décor at first setback Troy Malverick, but then he imagined to himself that it was a message to the wicked; that they should fear the coming of these fearsome black warriors.

Unlike his comrades behind him, this man wore no helmet, but merely had a mask fixed to his bald head over the nose and mouth. As he drew closer, Troy was able to see that there was a terrible scar, much like a rip instead of a cut going down his left eye, and the red glow of a cyborg eye gleamed from the socket. There were two large bolt pistols on either side of his hips, and one of the marine's famous chainswords was secured to his back. Malverick eyed this weapon with wonder, for it was known that such a weapon could cut clean through an enemy in mere seconds due to the biting teeth that lined the blade.

As he walked down the platform, which was large enough for two of the marines to walk down side-by-side, those who had stood in back of him followed. Troy could see that the other ships had already gotten started with unloading their passengers, but those marines didn't approach, and stayed standing at attention close to their ships. Finally, the leader of the marines stepped onto the sand and walked to stand before the marshal while the rest of his soldiers formed a line on each of their sides, and left them standing in the middle.

They stood in silence for several moments, and in that time the marine only stared down at him. As if to try and impress the marines, the marshal also noticed that the militia had straightened themselves out as well. Well, here goes nothing, Troy thought to himself.

"You must be the commander of this force. I thank you for responding to the distress call we sent out," he started to say before the space marine cut him off.

"Are you the man who communicated with our frequency this morning?"

"Yes sir."

"Troy Malverick… You should be commended for your ability to marshal a defense against the Orks with nothing but your own people. The greenskins are vicious fighters – it's a surprise that you're doing as well as you have been, Captain." Troy turned his head slightly at the leader's depreciative tone, which came out deep and cracking from behind the mask, but remained silent as the man continued. "I am Jorval Corvis, Chaplain of the Emperor's Wrath Chapter, and leader of the group you see before you. We have long engaged in combat against the foul Ork scum and were chosen to cleanse your planet of the stain that their kind are." Jorval then motioned with a single large hand toward the militia gathered close by, and along the walls. "Since these men are armed, am I to presume that they are part of the Planetary Defense Force that has been safeguarding this planet?"

"That is right, Sir…"

"Chaplain Corvis, Captain Malverick – now that we are here," Jorval said, "there is no need for your men to possess their weaponry any longer. Have them disband and return their arms and ammunition to the armory. I and my men will use your town's barracks as our headquarters during our stay." Completely disregarding Malverick's presence, the chaplain turned slightly to look back at the greatest of his four ships. Out of all of the vessels it had landed closest to the town, and, looking inside, Troy saw that there was at least two tanks sitting inside, maybe three. "Depending on how long we are required to stay and deal with the Ork threat that wall may have to come down and be extended to protect our armory. The barracks is just on the other side there, yes?" Jorval asked, turning toward the marshal once again.

For once, Troy found himself at a loss for words as the marine seemed to slowly take things over bit-by-bit. "That it is, Chaplain. The sector of the city you're looking at provides housing for the militia."

"_This is a city?_" Jorval said incredulously. "Well, no matter, either way we will have to tear part of the walls down immediately and make a gate for me and my men to pass through, so that we may reach the armory more quickly."

When he had called on the Imperium it had been aid, not a takeover. Now, as how quick the marines were to take charge, Malverick wondered if he ought to regret sending out the distress frequency. But he wasn't sure how to negotiate with the space marine before him. Right away it was clear that he wouldn't be able to see things from his perspective, and it was already said that the rigorous psycho-conditioning that the Chapters put their soldiers through often left them unsympathetic, and sometimes downright cruel, to the members of mankind they deemed weak.

"Chaplain Corvis, we'll certainly be glad to provide shelter for you and your men, but would it truly be prudent for my men to return their arms? What if there is an Ork attack on the settlement, shouldn't we have as many men as possible around to help defend the city?"

"I see the point you would wish to make, Captain Malverick, but, as your people are merely a self-trained fighting force, they may wind up causing additional problems for my own men if such an attack does occur. Rest assured, I'll see to it that at least one squad always remains on watch while we're out. Now, unless you wish to express other concerns or troubles, it would be best if we hurried along so my men can get situated."

Jorval Corvis gave Troy a hard stare, and the captain gulped under that harsh gaze. "No sir, you've made your point."

The chaplain nodded at him, and then proceeded to issue orders. "You've all heard my order, now return your armaments. Any attempt to retain them will be looked at as treason against the Emperor, and be dealt with as is appropriate." He spoke next to his own men. "Inform the other groups that we're to take refuge in the barracks, but I would like for one of the squads to remain within the barracks and keep watch over the vehicles."

"Yes Lord Corvis!" One marine said as he stepped forward to lead the squad of a dozen to their brethren. At the same time the militia, who were previously unsure as to whether or not they should wait for their marshal's order, now returned back to the city crestfallenly. Before long, only Troy and Jorval remained, and the two regarded each other; the captain looking grimly dismayed, while the chaplain appeared so bored that he also seemed irate.

"Well, Captain Malverick, lead on to your headquarters. It would be best if we started to form plans for scouring this desert right away."

Captain Troy Malverick turned on his heel and started to walk toward the gates, with the chaplain right on his heels. As Troy looked at the walls and thought of the city hidden behind them, he couldn't help but wonder if he had just delivered his people into the hands of a tyrant.


	2. Chapter 2

**Marshaling Majesty - 2**

As Troy led Jorval Corvis to the city gates, and then on to the city, those who stood watch during the landing of the space marines could barely conceal their awe as they beheld the hulking figure walking behind their captain. Yet, standing at nine feet and conditioned with the physique of a tank – not to mention that he looked the part in all his armor – the Emperor's Wrath Chaplain certainly did make for an intimidating sight. Still, Troy did spot same faces in the crowd who appeared quite a bit concerned.

No doubt they realized that something was off the moment their militiamen returned crestfallenly. While many were overtaken with marvelous wonder at the Chaplain's presence in on their planet, those few were quick to recognize that the winds of change had started to blow, and for better or worse they did not know.

Troy didn't look behind him, for he knew the space marines of the empire to be a disciplined force and did not wish to risk being reprimanded for his curiosity, but he guessed that Jorval was glaring coldly at those he laid eyes on. Once they were actually at the gate those standing around shrunk back with a look of shock, but they were still no less astonished to see the marine up close. While Troy worried that such a fearful response would only vex the marines he gave thanks for it nonetheless, for it opened the path large enough for Jorval's massive frame to enter unimpeded.

The captain and marine walked at a brisk pace, and, instead of guiding him, Troy felt that it was Jorval who commanded where they went. Any slowing of his own steps would have resulted in the marine barreling right over him.

The Space marines of the Imperial Empire were often advocated to be righteous defenders of mankind, and, in truth, many of them truly did exemplify that very notion. It was by the thousand Chapters of the Emperor's marines that many of the dark forces which rampaged through the galaxy were kept in check. However, due to the conditioning candidates for the space marines faced, Troy also knew of the suggestion that a great many of the recruits could become emotionless killing machines, which often made them less compassionate toward those they deemed weak of the human race. Based on his immediate takeover of the situation, the dismantling of the planetary militia, and his outwardly cold demeanor, the marshal worried that Jorval Corvis was one such man.

Still, Troy continued to hold out hope, at least for those people counting on him, that the chaplain's rigid nature was merely due to his considerably harsher duties.

As they made their way toward the barracks through the winding roads of the city of metal, many of the structures worn from desert storms, those who were out stopped whatever they were doing to stare while the pair marched by. Troy felt some sense of humiliation as he realized that it was as if he were being driven through the streets for his people to see, but kept his composure.

Aside from the occasionally deep grumble that Jorval would make, which sounded as though the chaplain disapproved of something that he'd seen, the marine said nothing, nor acted out before the citizens. Fortunately, at the quick walk that Jorval kept them going at, it wasn't long before they reached the barracks and proceeded to Troy's office.

(-****-)

"If you'd give me a moment sir, I'll have my seating area cleared away and you may have it if you wish." Troy said as he walked around his desk.

"I'll continue to stand, thank you. Besides, I have no doubt that the furnishings in here would be too weak to support me." Jorval replied curtly. "But don't let me stop you from making use of it yourself. Though your desk does look magnificently flourished, a stark difference to the rest of this place."

Troy was thrown off by the remark. "Thank you for saying so, it's an antique passed down for generations – retouched overtime of course. Anyway, I think I will stand as well," said the captain while he pulled his chair back to put it against the wall before returning over to the desk. "Besides, this will make it easier to go over whatever details you'd wish me of me."

"Very well, I see that the map is lying on your desk already and it appears that you've marked it up a great deal. Are these the movements of the Orks on here?"

"Yes, Chaplain, in order to keep my people up-to-date on where the Orks are I've been keeping a record of their movements, places they've been known to gather, and places that looked like they could have been battle sites." Troy rubbed the stubble on his square jaw thoughtfully. "I don't know how they can amass such numbers so quickly. Until almost a year ago they were all but unaccounted for, and now they roam through the desert at their leisure going at ours, and even each other's throats."

"Yes, such is the way of this particular Xenos' filth." Jorval growled harshly. "Being an asexual species, the Orks are capable of rapid reproduction, and each one born carries the same vile love for violence as its predecessor. If not for us being dispatched to your planet they would have surely overrun you in the coming years.'

"As for how they got here," the chaplain continued, "there are several possibilities. Some of the spores they're known to develop from could have carried through the solar system, likely from some passing transport, and taken refuge on your planet. Another likelihood is that they were some raiding force flying recklessly through space, and they just happened to crash land here; it's not as if such an occurrence would have been the first from the senseless heathens. Still, such things are of little concern now that they are here. All that matters is cleansing this planet of the alien infestation before it grows too severe, and the Emperor's Wrath can swear that we will accomplish just that!"

From his first word to his last, chaplain, Jorval Corvis, spoke with such a fiery conviction that he surprised the captain. Until this point Jorval had appeared cold and detached to having been on the planet, but now, at the prospect of destroying the enemy, he seemed a new person. There was passion in his voice and eyes, and even his body seemed to exude an intense energy.

In that moment, Troy started to wonder if his worries were all for naught.

"Captain, you mentioned that you'd been recording their movements. How far back do these observations go?"

"Well let's see…" Troy said pensively. "The Orks had been around for about a month when we realized things weren't getting better, and that's when I started taking notes on all of their encounters. So about seven months ago."

"Let me see them." Jorval leaned forward and stared hard at the map of all the settlements and the land between them. His eyes darted around to the various notes, lines, and drawings, reading each little detail he could before rising from the desk. "Impressively thorough, Captain Malverick; knowledge is key to winning any battle, and your notes will tell us plenty. But tell me, right here," the chaplain placed a finger on the map. "Your notes say this was their most recent attack, a destroyed settlement, yet that they have also been routed."

"Yes sir, that's how things appear to seem."

"And when was this information gathered?" The Jorval asked.

"When Moonshine was sacked earlier last week my scouts reported that the Orks looked to be bunkering down. So two days ago I sent out another pair to update me on the situation. There was no sign of the Orks, unlike the previous week, and the walls appeared to be in even worse shape, so they moved to investigate. However, they only got close enough to see a pile of burning corpses and, as you were three days away already, I decided it best to await your forces, Chaplain, until checking things for ourselves." Troy stopped speaking, then, as an afterthought, he added. "We've taken to thinking that the Orks there were raided by another party."

Jorval grumbled while he thought. "Since your own people weren't responsible for clearing them out then that seems like the most likely possibility. Still, things will have to be checked more closely before we can say for sure."

"So will you be sending out scouts?"

"No, I will lead an escort of my men to these quadrants and investigate this matter personally. We have only just arrived and there is much to do, so we cannot waste any time. You, Captain, will travel with me and men."

"I'm sorry, Chaplain, but I thought you didn't wish for the militia's aid, so why is my presence required?"

"The Emperor's Wrath does not need the assistance of any planetary defense force as a collective group. Such a rabble's intervention would lead to more problems for my men, such as placing the strain of safeguarding the weak over fighting the enemy. However, as you are responsible for marshaling this planet's defenses long enough to survive the Ork excursion, I trust that you know the territory of this world quite well, and that knowledge will be of use until my men and I learn the land as well." Jorval spoke with a matter of fact tone, one that was purely calculating. "Now come along."

The chaplain turned and proceeded to return to his men. At the same time he spoke into a small device and announced for Squad 1 to meet him at the docking station, while Squad 2 set to scouting the city and Squad 3 began work on breaking down the wall and guarding the vehicles.

Not about to turn down an order from a chaplain of the Emperor's Wrath, Troy followed after the black-armored marine.

(-****-)

Considering how large each of the marines were – with each man or woman standing between seven and eight feet, as well as one hulking figure dubbed Brick standing at a whole eleven feet, the captain wondered how all fourteen of them were possibly going to reach the settlement together. However, within the docking station there were transport vehicles capable of transforming six, plus two drivers, and Squad 1 split up to drive both.

Jorval Corvis took the wheel of one vehicle while Troy took the cockpit with him, then, with the captain providing directions, Jorval drove off with the other vehicle following close behind. It was nearly twenty miles from The Hold to Moonshine, but the marine's vehicles easily drove over the desert sands at a fast speed. Even while slowing for steep dunes, Squad 1, Jorval, and Troy reached the ruins of the devastated settlement.

Now that some days had passed the place by no smoke rose from among the rubble, and the place looked very much like a ghost town as the group of fourteen looked down on the broken walls and ravaged buildings. Even the pile of bodies reported by the scouts could be seen, though the corpses were so charred it was impossible to tell it was such from their position.

Jorval gave the order for everyone to go forward, and they all brandished their battle bolter rifles, even Troy held aloft his own bolt pistol. Though the place appeared to be quiet, no one put it past the Orks to lie quiet while waiting for someone to investigate; none save the captain who knew that he could count on the Eldar Jester's thoroughness. They proceeded with the utmost caution until reaching the pile of burned bodies, which was within sight of a large hole that had been blown out of the barracks. Jorval gave orders for Squad 1 to split up in their _usual pairs_ and scour the town, while he remained behind to rifle through the charred corpses.

As the chaplain sifted through the blackened heap before him, which reeked of burnt flesh and rotted meat after being left exposed to the elements for so long, he came across those of both humans and Orks. Troy marveled that the man didn't gag while he worked, especially as he was almost submersed in the pile of bodies. Then he realized that the mask over his companion's face was designed to purify the oxygen he was breathing, and that he couldn't smell the foul odor.

After Jorval turned aside several corpses, and even pulled some out to the side, he finally said something. "Something here isn't right…"

"What is it sir?" Troy asked, curious as to what the chaplain had discovered.

"Some of the wounds on these bodies don't line up with Ork weaponry. Look here," Jorval then walked over to the set of bodies that he pulled out from the pile and pointed at them: two human and two Ork. "Look at the bullet wounds on the body of this man; they've practically blown him wide open and shattered his bones. Now look at the bullet wounds on this Ork here, on his chest and head. The bullet was more piercing, travelling completely through the body and even bone. Now look here at these two bodies…"

Troy had a grim frown on his face as he looked over the wounds on the bodies, and already spotted the comparison Jorval was about to make, while realizing what the chaplain was onto.

"The wound along this woman's waist which cut her in two is jagged and torn, as though she were sawed, which matches with the axes Orks are known to favor. However, over here," and he then moved over to the Ork's corpse," the cuts are much more clean. Whatever cut this one's arm off did so perfectly, and even the toothless weapons of the Orks aren't capable of inflicting such a clean injury. However, it is known that the Eldar carry weaponry of such precise power…" Jorval Corvis rose from his knee to stand at his full height as he looked down on Troy. "Captain Malverick, has there been any reported sightings of the Eldar, as well as the Orks?"

Troy wasn't sure how he should answer. He'd gone with Jester's ruse and told the chaplain that the Orks had turned on themselves, but he didn't think that the Eldar was counting on the marines sent to be so thorough. He didn't want to betray the alien after he had helped stave off the rampaging Orks for so long, but now he was pressed into a corner.

"Sorry sir, but did you say an _Eldar_?"

"Yes Captain, have there been any reports of sightings made by the inhabitants of this planet that you know of?"

"No Chaplain, there are no such reports which ring any bells." Troy spoke the truth. Most people on his planet didn't even know what an Eldar is if they saw one, for they were such a rare sort of alien that information on them was often disregarded. All reports of the sightings that he knew to be of Jester and his troupe claimed them to be mysterious figures, which could have accounted for just about anyone acting suspicious.

"You're certain of this?" Jorval asked, getting an affirmative nod from the captain. "This is quite troubling. If there are Eldar here as well as Orks then they may be fighting over something and this planet just became their next battleground. The Eldar hate the vile Orks as much as us, and, if they're trying to wipe out their enemies, then it's possible they may have called for reinforcements.'

"No doubt they would be within range of the Ork engagements, that way they would be some place close to watch over their foes. However, until we have some sort of proof I will hold off on calling for reinforcements. If we're fortunate my platoon will be enough to handle whatever is out here though."

At that moment a pair of marines approached Troy and Jorval, and, despite wearing helmets, it was obvious that they both cast a look at the captain as they stood to attention.

"Chaplain Corvis, we've found a most disturbing item within the ruins of the church building. No one has seen fit to touch it, and we deemed it of the utmost importance that news of its discovery was brought straight to you."

Jorval looked down at the bodies one last time, and his hardened eyes spoke volumes of his dissatisfaction with how things were beginning to look, but then he slowly nodded. "Very well, take me to where it is this item has been located."

As the Jorval started to follow his troops, Troy knew, despite lack of command, that he would be expected to follow as well. As the only native to the planet he would need to be around the chaplain to provide whatever information he believed to be relevant.


	3. Chapter 3

**Marshaling Majesty - 3**

It didn't take the group long to reach their destination.

Just some ways down the dirt path that led from the devastated barracks to the rest of the ruined town the marines turned toward the left. Captain Malverick knew the town of Moonshine well, having been to the settlement on more than one occasion to help strategize against the Orks, and recognized the familiar cul-de-sac immediately. Even though the place had been thoroughly trashed by the Orks that came through, many of the familiar landmarks still remained, albeit a bit roughed up.

"Well if this isn't a sign of the Emperor's will…" Jorval said, primarily to himself.

Malverick looked to the Chaplain and saw that he was staring ahead intently. The captain frowned in confusion and turned to see what Jorval seemed so surprised about, but it didn't take him long to catch the cause.

Miraculously enough, the church somehow managed to scrape through all the fighting relatively intact, though the captain would have wagered that was only because the Orks found the building of interest. The church was a short and rectangular building with a tall roof, and a large set of metal double doors with large bolts lining the edges. Two statues of an intimidating space marine cast all in iron stood beside those doors, one on each side. They were supposed to be depictions of the Emperor of Mankind with his hands atop a blade thrust into the ground, and, even though the elements had worn them over the years, the grim face looking down on those who entered had lost none of its former glory. The only significant damage visible on the structure looked to be a part of roof where it had caved in, most likely from an explosion, though, from the Orks or Eldar, Malverick couldn't tell.

The doors had been left open by the marines when they went in search of their commander, and so they just walked right in with Jorval and Malverick following in back.

Once inside, the captain scoffed at what he saw. The rows of pews were all but shattered into pieces, with much of the wood having been burned in small fire pits – as noted by the array of charred piles of timber scattered around the floor. Then, even more to Malverick's disgust, it looked as if the Orks had left their leavings in the back corner, and he had no doubt that the other corner of the room looked much the same if not for the collapsed heap of metal that had fallen in from the roof. The Orks had made this place their den, treating it as their own filthy pigsty. In fact, the only thing which remained whole was the pulpit, and even that was tarnished with dents from where some large fist had come down on it.

Not surprisingly, as the top was already open, it was the stand which the marines led them to. As they approached their pace slowed, and one of the marines moved beside the pulpit before dropping into a wary stance, while the other continued a bit farther on the other side.

"Chaplain, if you'd please step forward," the marine said as he bid his leader to approach. "It's just inside the podium."

Jorval nodded his head and did as the marine requested of him, each of his steps resounding loudly. Rather than follow, the captain stayed put, already aware that whatever Jorval had to look at was business for the Emperor's Wrath first.

Suddenly, immediately after looking into the pulpit, Jorval stood stiff and hissed a single word, and his eyes were wide with shock. "Heresy…"

In all the time that Jorval had been on the planet not once had he expressed any sort of emotion, but now it looked as though he was utterly surprised. Whatever it meant, Malverick was sure it couldn't be anything good.

"The Eight-Sided Star… This is where you found it?"

"Yes sir. We were rifling through the place in case anything had been left behind, but the podium had been sealed for some reason, so we broke it open to discover this." The marine standing beside him said. "As soon as we laid eyes on it we realized immediately that it was a Chaos artifact, and left to seek you out."

Upon hearing that the item in question belonged to the Chaos caused Malverick's head to spin, for he could scarcely imagine what such a device might be doing among his people. Jorval, however, seemed to recover from his initial dismay, and his eyes became filled with a burning conviction as they fell upon the militia leader.

"Captain Malverick, do you understand what it is my men have discovered hidden away?"

Though he had no knowledge of what the artifact was capable of, Malverick knew full-well that any association with Chaos was a calling card for trouble. So, that an item belonging to them would be found here didn't bode well.

"I do, but I don't know how that thing could have possibly been here."

"This sheds a very damning light on things right now." Jorval spoke gravely. "The Orks, vile as they may be, have never been known to succumb to the corruption of the Chaos gods, and, as the podium was sealed when my men found it, this only makes it seem as though someone in the town worshipped the Chaos. If that is the case then it's possible for their taint to have spread into the people of other settlements…"

Malverick gaped in horror as he realized what the Chaplain was suggesting. "You can't honestly mean that you would call the inquisition to the planet."

"I most certainly am. If there was but even a single man or woman here who worshipped the Chaos gods in secret there's no telling if they may have corrupted others to their way of thinking. Without any sure way of knowing how the artifact got here, then that may just be our only course of action."

"There are none among my people who worship the Chaos, damn it! I'd doubt most of them would even know what they are in any great detail!" He stopped speaking long enough to take a deep breath before he continued more calmly. "I've been around all the people of Moonshine for years, and, as of the last several months, we've all banded together more often-than-not. There's no way any of my people could have been in possession of that _thing_."

Malverick was desperate to try and find some reason with which he might argue with the chaplain. If Jorval really called for an inquisition force to root out a traitor in their midst, a traitor he didn't believe to exist for a moment, there was no telling just what horrors the citizens would be put through at their hands. For those who cared to pay attention, it was relatively common knowledge that the Imperil inquisitions would resort to whatever means they deemed necessary to root out a threat. For a human colony to be under suspicion of Chaos activity was grounds for them to come and begin torturing people until they got what they wanted or deemed the threat to be nonexistent.

"Unless you can think of another way this artifact could have found its way here, then I've little choice in the matter. If what you speak is the truth then you should have nothing to fear."

The captain put his hands together and breathed deeply once again as he pondered over what he should do.

Naturally, knowing that his own people couldn't have been responsible for the artifact, Malverick wanted to blame the Orks. However, Jorval quickly shot down that possibility, which meant that the only others he could have imagined leaving the relic behind would be Jester and his crew. Why the Eldar would have done something like this was beyond him, and, while he'd feel morose about going back on his deal since Jester had never shown any inclination toward Chaos worship, Malverick had a duty to protect his people.

"Chaplain, you mentioned that some of the bodies out there had abnormal wounds not caused by Ork weaponry. Is it possible that whatever attacked the Orks could have brought the artifact as well?"

Jorval murmured thoughtfully. "A Dark Eldar presence here would explain the condition of the Ork bodies, though what they'd be out here for… However, Captain, you said that no reports had come in of Xenos activity."

"That's because none have been spotted clearly, but some months back I did get reports of strange figures skulking about the hills. Since we had the Orks to deal with I assumed them to be bandits, and nothing more. Until now, I hadn't made the connection that they may not have been what I thought they were originally."

Again Jorval's eyes widened, as if he'd just discovered something shocking. Then he gave a start, "Captain, you may have had an even more terrible enemy in your midst this whole time! The D-" But then he stopped as a continuous stream of gunshots sounded from the outside.

(-****-)

Jorval growled in frustration as he reached for a small device on his hip that he brought up toward the mask covering his mouth. "What's happening out there?" He asked harshly.

"_Chaplain Jorval!"_ A gruff voice called back with the constant crack of bullets firing in the background. _"A raiding party of Orks have come from the desert in one of their war trucks. We've suffered no casualties, but our men were forced to take cover behind the walls. Now they circle around the settlement and shoot at us almost nonstop."_

Sure enough, the entire time that the marine on the other end of the line spoke, not once did the turret gun on their truck cease shooting in the background. Of course it hadn't just been just the turret either, and that was joined by more shots, some closer and some farther.

"How many are there?" Jorval asked into the device.

"_I'd judge about six, but it could be eight if there are more hiding in the truck."_

"Continue to hold them off. We'll be out shortly."

The chaplain put his communication radio back and started off immediately. There was no need for him to give them an order to head out, for the marines were anxious enough to get to the fighting as it was.

Malverick, however, wondered whether he should go out to join in their fighting as well. Jorval had already made it abundantly clear that he didn't wish for the militia to get involved with combat alongside his troops, but he was also the one who requested for the captain to venture out with him. Since the chaplain had thus far ignored his possession of the rifle strapped to his back, Malverick figured that self-defense would at least be expected. So, what would be the matter if he went out to help defend the settlement from the new raiders? With that thought in mind, the militia captain jogged after the marines who all but stormed out; besides, he found the idea of fighting outside more comfortable than being under the same roof as the Chaos artifact.

Once he was out of the church, and went down the path out of the cul-de-sac, it didn't take Malverick long to get caught up with the situation. With two primary entrances into Moonshine, and the captain immediately noticed that most of the marines were gathered at these points, while a small group ran along the walls to take unexpected potshots. However, judging by the roar of the engine beyond the walls, Malverick could only assume that they had thus far failed to kill the driver. Of Jorval, the captain could see no sign of the chaplain, but he assumed him to be with one of the groups of men.

Curious to see what they were up against for himself, Malverick ran back down the road for the barracks. If luck proved to be on his side, then the service ladder located at the rear end of the building could provide him access to the roof. Somehow doubting that the marines would allow him to fight alongside them, the captain decided that a higher vantage point would be his best if he wanted to do something useful against the raiders. Fortunately the ladder was still intact, and Malverick quickly started to climb to the top without a moment's hesitation.

As the captain climbed he couldn't help but think about how convenient the Ork's attack had been, yet, it also seemed far too suspicious. That they would come out to Moonshine so soon after it was cleared out, and armed for a large fight was too made him wonder if the Orks had known about them coming, though how that was possible he hadn't the faintest idea. Thus far the Orks lacked enough reason to be used as allies for anything, so he couldn't imagine any of the Eldar helping the greenskins. In the end, he concluded that the Orks had merely been waiting somewhere in the surrounding hills watching for anyone to enter the town, and likely hoping to trap them inside.

When Malverick reached the top of the barracks he made sure to keep his head low, or else risk one of the Orks spotting him and taking a shot. He doubted that they could aim well enough to hit him all the way up there, but that it'd be best he didn't try to find out. He'd gone his whole life without tempting fate, and Malverick wasn't about to start now.

Unslinging his rifle, the militia captain dropped into a prone pose on the ground and wiggled toward the edge of the roof. Even without the scope he could make out the Orks' war truck, a mere shadow against the bright sand. It was a black, crudely slapped together vehicle that drove on six large tires, and it seemed to move easily through the sand. The front of the truck was covered in plates and lined with spikes, and the sides were just as equally armored. There was an upper rise toward the back of the truck, just behind where the driver's seat was, where a turret sat transfixed, and, as Malverick could see bursts of fire leaving from the muzzle he concluded that there was an Ork still manning the gun. Then, in a space behind the driver and below the turret station, was a large sitting area from where the Orks could shoot out from in between the slits their armor didn't cover, effectively making them a roving death machine.

Down below the marines continued to pop out from behind the wall or around the corner of the entrance and shoot at the patrolling vehicle, but with little success. Taking deeper and deeper breaths, Malverick peered into the scope on his rifle and followed the truck, making sure to keep it in his crosshairs.

Right away he could tell that shooting the passengers was out of the question, for they barely showed themselves in between the metal slabs. However, spotting the driver was easy enough, as he sat relatively safe among a great amount of metal bars which formed the trucks cockpit; a fast and careless shot would have had to rely on luck if it wished to strike the driver, but with a trained eye he'd be easy enough to pick out. Meanwhile, the Ork manning the turret had his entire upper torso revealed wherever he wasn't directly facing, and presently he kept his gun aimed on the entrance where the marines huddled behind the walls.

Recognizing the turret man as their biggest threat, Malverick moved ever so slightly so that he may focus on the gunner. Fortunately there was no wind, not even a slight breeze, which would make this all the easier for him. The captain shifted to adjust for the trucks movements, sucked in a large gulp of breath, and then pulled the trigger. There was a loud boom as the rifle fired, and in his head, Malverick always imagined a cannon going off. Almost a second later he saw the turret stop flashing as the Ork manning it lost the top half of his head.

Then, even as he readjusted to take aim at the driver, Malverick heard a loud shout from down below and one of the figures clad in black armor stepped out from behind cover. It was Jorval, and he was leading his men beyond the gates, though they continued to remain close to the walls. The truck spun a circle once before aiming itself right for their group. The captain looked down his sights to see that the Ork appeared to be laughing wildly, and that he no doubt had plans to ram the marines. Fortunately, thanks to Jorval, the driver was now heading straight for Malverick, and he had a perfect shot lined up. Repeating the same action as before, the captain drew and held his breath before opening fire.

The shot must have caused the Ork driving to spaz out at the wheel, for immediately after the truck veered off its course for the marines and collided with the wall head-on.

Armored as it was, the war truck managed to all but tear through the wall, but the front half also crushed in on itself while it also flipped forward. A great cloud of sand rose into the air from around where the truck struck, but Malverick managed to make out a few dark shapes sprawled out on the ground near the back of the truck. However, before he could start firing on any of them, the marines returned back into Moonshine with a triumphant shout as they ran for the wreckage.

It didn't take long for the Emperor's Wrath to ensure that there would be no survivors.

(-****-)

Once the marines had reached the truck and started their executions of the Orks, Malverick set to climbing back down and returning to them. To his surprise, as he approached the group of space marines gathered around the wreckage of the truck and the bodies of the Orks, many of them started to clap and congratulate him on his shooting. Even Jorval Corvis, who stood at the head of the wreckage, stared at him with what the captain imagined to be a favorable sense.

"Your shooting with that rifle is most admirable, Captain Malverick." Jorval said as the other approached. "You performed well supporting the marines and myself."

However, rather than take the compliment, the captain could only shake his head. "All I did was what I've been doing. The Orks were attacking us, so I took aim and fired."

"With nerves of steel; you'd have made a fine marine."

Though he dared not show it, Malverick shuddered inwardly at the thought of what that would have entailed. "Their attack seemed terribly inconvenient. What are the odds that they would attack so soon after we arrived here?"

Jorval nodded. "Not likely, but, while you were on your way back, one of my men reported something of interest. Within the barracks we found a crude communicator of Ork design, but it had been shot up. Naturally the bullets pierced right through effortlessly, again, matching with the Eldar weaponry. Considering how many Ork bodies are in that pile," the chaplain paused while he motioned in the direction of where the charred corpses lie atop each other, "I'm certain if we were to rummage through the remains that we would find a few Eldar bodies in there as well."

Malverick didn't respond right away, but wrapped his mind around what the marine was saying. "So what does that mean to you?"

Again the chaplain murmured, lost in his thoughts. "It means that there is overpowering evidence that there are Eldar on this planet, and, as I'm willing to believe that the humans of this planet weren't in contact with the Chaos, that must have been an artifact left behind by the Dark Eldar. If such is the case then I fear that this world will become a battlefield before too long between them and the Orks, and now you've been caught in the middle. As for why they haven't attacked your settlements themselves that is a mystery, though perhaps they thought it best to focus on the stronger of opponents first."

Malverick tried to hide how glad he was for the change in opinion, but knew that at least some of his relief slipped through for the chaplain gave him a funny look.

"So what's the plan, Chaplain?" The captain asked with a shake of his head.

"Considering the forces arrayed against us I will have to call for reinforcements. However, as only the Orks have presented themselves we can assume that they have the advantage of numbers at the moment. The extra troops will help us to reinforce the remaining settlements against future Ork attacks, while other groups are assembled for excursions against the foul brutes. Then, while the Emperor's Wrath sets to work on purging your world of the greenskins, we will, at the same time, have smaller search parties scavenging every rock for a trace of the Dark Eldar." Jorval clenched his fist while raising it level with his chest. "We can't allow their taint to spread!"

The other marines gathered around nodded their heads and voiced their agreement with purging the planet of its evil infestation. However, Malverick could only wonder with trepidation what protection under the Emperor's Wrath chapter would entail.


End file.
